Definitions
unit of length used in ancient times, equal to 7 or 8 Chinese feet 尺[chǐ]
Etymology phono-semantic
Phonetic:
刃
About
Composed of the semantic radical 亻 denoting person and the phonetic component 刃 meaning blade, the character 仞 originally represented a unit of length in ancient China, specifically a fathom or approximately eight feet used to measure the depth of wells or the height of walls. Over time, its meaning broadened from a precise measurement to a more general term for depth, and it is subsequently found primarily in classical texts and fixed expressions rather than contemporary度量 use.
Etymology Hide
